NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Living on minimum wage can be difficult, that's why one group in Northampton is pushing a living wage.

The Northampton Living Wage Coalition says a living wage in this city would be $12.09 an hour; minimum wage in Massachusetts is only 8 dollars an hour.

Over at Northampton Coffee, they pay their baristas a living wage. They say it goes with their commitment to sustainability and customer service. All of the baristas who work there said it allows them to live in the city and take care of their lives outside of work.

General Manager of Northampton Coffee Emily Welles told 22News it's all about retaining good employees. “Our people we care about so much. We take such care in hiring them. We want to make sure they're happy, so pay is just one way to keep them happy.”

Some businesses say paying their employees more than minimum wage will hurt their business. Emily told us, if they can do it, more companies can do it.